GLENDALE, AZ - OCTOBER 29: Kicker David Akers #2 of the San Francisco 49ers walks off the field during an NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium on October 29, 2012 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images) GLENDALE, AZ - OCTOBER 29: Kicker David Akers #2 of the San Francisco 49ers walks off the field during an NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium on October 29, 2012 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images)

In the season's first two games, David Akers made an NFL-record-tying 63-yard field goal, was flawless on four other attempts and was hailed by Jim Harbaugh as the "greatest kicker in the history of our game."

Fourteen games and 13 missed field goals later, Harbaugh struck a decidedly different note Monday as he acknowledged Mr. Automatic could soon be unemployed. With the decorated 15-year veteran ranked 30th in the NFL in field-goal percentage (69.0), the 49ers will bring in kickers for tryouts this week as the 49ers prep for the playoffs.

Harbaugh suggested the 49ers will stick with the status quo if the invitees don't impress during their visit to Santa Clara. Akers, 38, cannot be part of any tryouts, although Harbaugh raised the possibility of signing a kicker and having him compete with Akers in practice.

"We want to make the right decision," Harbaugh said. "David's certainly in it. He's done a lot of great things for us. He's made a lot of great kicks, a lot of big kicks."

Indeed, in his first 18 regular-season games with the 49ers, the six-time Pro Bowl selection made 49 of 57 attempts, including 8 of 10 from 50 or more yards. In the past 14 games, however, Akers has made 5 of 15 attempts from 40-plus yards.

In December, Akers disabled his Twitter account after receiving a death threat from a fan.

During his slump, he has missed overtime field goals of 41 and 51 yards in two games against the Rams, which resulted in a tie and a loss. In Sunday's 27-13 win over Arizona, he pushed first-half attempts of 40 and 44 yards wide left and was roundly booed. In the second half, Harbaugh eschewed field-goal attempts of 54 and 48 yards, and the 49ers successfully converted fourth downs.

"He knows it. We know it. Those kicks in games, you've got to make those kicks," Harbaugh said. "There will always be a level of competition around at any position to find who gives you the best chance to win the next game. Knowing the competitor that Dave is, I don't think he'll have a problem with that."

Among the candidates could be Billy Cundiff, 32, who tried out in late November when Akers was dealing with a pelvis injury. A league source indicated the 49ers have expressed interest in taking another look at Cundiff but said nothing was "definitive."

An 11-year veteran, Cundiff comes with his own warts. He was released by the Redskins after missing 5 of 12 attempts in the season's first five games. As a member of the Ravens, he missed a potential game-tying 32-yarder in last season's AFC Championship Game. Cundiff has been incredibly accurate inside 30 yards - hitting all 45 of his field-goal attempts and all but one of 218 extra-point tries in his career - but he's hit just 57 percent from 40 yards and beyond.

A league source said the 49ers were expected to bring in Justin Medlock, 29, a former UCLA All-American who has spent most of his career in the Canadian Football League. Medlock has attempted 12 field goals in parts of two NFL seasons. He was waived by the Panthers in November after making 7 of 10 attempts.

Until recently, Harbaugh had expressed confidence that Akers would bust out of his slump. Harbaugh's dad, Jack, recruited Akers when he was the head coach at Western Kentucky. Harbaugh's older brother, John, was Akers' special-teams coach for eight seasons with the Eagles.

"Have I been surprised that he hasn't made those kicks?" Jim Harbaugh asked rhetorically. "Yeah, we understand, that's a job of a kicker to put it through the uprights."